Grain-separator.



No. 732,577. PATBNTED 717N330, 190s. J. B. MITCHELL.

GRAIN SBPARATOR,

APPLICATION FILED 001. 1. 1902.

K0 IODEL.

03x? Mizfidl No. 732,577. PATENTBD JUNE 30. 1903.

J. E. MITCHELL.

GRAIN SEPARATOR.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 1. 1902.

no MODEL.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2. v

mam

Fan /afar (7072227. Mia/2 6M Patented. {Tune 30, 1903;.

P TENT OFFICE.

JOHN E. MITCHELL, on ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

G RAlN-SEPARATO R.

SIECIFICATION farming part of Letters Patent No. 732,577, dated June 30, 1903.

Application filed October 1,1902. Serial No. 125,540. (No model.)

v Louis, in the State of Missouri, have invented new and useful Improvements in Grain-Separators,of which thefollowing is a specification. My invention relates to grain-separators,

I the object of the same'being to provide in an work 1 upon the'fiexible straps 5.

organized machine means for subjecting the grain under treatment to the action of vibratory separating-screens to remove the straw, sand, oockle, 850., means for subjecting the same to the action of a current of air after being screened, and means for. collecting or removing the dust contained in the current of air without discharging the same into the open atmosphere or into a d List-collector separate from the machine. Other objects of the invention will hereinafter appear and the novel features thereof will be set forth in the claims.

In the drawings forming a part of thisspecification, Figure 1 is aside elevation of one Like reference-numerals indicatolike' parts.

in the different views.

' In the form of my invention herein illustrated I mount in a suitable framework 1 a vibratory casing, the same being shown as being made of two independently-operated shoe members 2 and 3, located one above the other. The said casing may, however, be single, with all the parts thereof operated together. Theupper member 2 of the casing has been shown as suspended from the framework 1 upon the flexible straps 4 and the lower member 3 as supported from the-frame- The said shoe membersare therefore capable of vibration in the direction of the length of the machine. hopper lj 'at its upper end, within which is located an inclined deflector 7 for directing the grain in a thin fine stream down upon a coarse sides 9 of the member 2.

I may flow into the conduit 13.

1 dust.

The shoe mcmber2 has a chute or screen 8. The said screen is inclined in position, as shown, and is located between the I Beneath the said screen and extending substantially parallel thereto is an imperforate carrying-boardlO.

Thelower end of. the carrying-board 10 termina-tes a short distance from the correspond.

ing end of the screen 8. The sides of the member 2 are closed, as shown, but the lower end thereof is open. Extending from the lower end of the screen 8 downwardly to the bottom of the member 2 is an end board 11,

and extending transversely of said member2,

parallel to said end board, is a partition 12. The said end board 11 and partition 12 form between them a conduit 13 for the passage of rying-board 1O terminates a short distance from the lower end of the screen 8, a passage 14 is formed between said carrying-board and the end board 11, through which the grain The upper end of the partition 12 terminates a short distance from the 'carrying-board 10,.forming a passage 15 for a purpose which will hereinafter fappear.

Extendingtransversely of the shoe member 2 parallel with the partition 12 is a deflecting board or partition 16. This deflecting-board extends from the carryingboard 10 down to a point a short distance from the bottom of the member 2.

' The shoe member 3 is shown as having mounted in the lower part thereofan inclined her 3 is an inclinedcarrying-board 21', the

same leading to a conduit 22 in'a stationary part of the apparatus for the removal of the The screen 18 discharges into a conduit 23in a stationary part of the apparatus, through which the cleaned grain is carried off. The member 3 of the casing is provided with an end board 24, located beneath the end board 11 of the member 2, and is also provided with the transverselyextending diaphragms 26. The said diaphragms are located one above the other and are parallel to the end board 24. Secured to the end board 24 and extending inwardly into the space between the diaphragms 25 and 26 is a deflecting-block 27, and connecting the diaphragm 25 and a transverse strip 28, extending between the sides of the shoe member 3, is a curved strip or band 29. The end board 24, the diaphragms 25 and 26, the transverse strip 28, and the curved strip 29 form in one end of the shoe member 3 a conduit 30,which is deflected or offset at a point intermediate its ends and is adapted to communicate with the conduit 13 in the member 2. The sides of the member 3 are closed; but the upper end thereof is open. The interior of the two shoe members 2 and 3 therefore communicate with each other to form a settling-chamber 3l. The upper wall of this chamber is formed by the carrying-board 10 and the lower wall thereof by the carrying-board 21. These carrying-boards, as heretofore stated, are inclined. They are furthermore oppositely inclined with respect to each other, so that the settling-chamber 31 increases in size from the rear end of the machine toward the front. While the above-described arrangement of screens and carrying-boards in the vibrating casing is satisfactory, Ido not desire to limit myself thereto, as I realize that the same may be widely varied without departing from the invention. The numberof thescreens employed may also be increased, if desired. For example, it is not of the essence of my invention that the lower part of the casing be provided with screens, as all the screens may be located in the upper part of the member 2 thereof. The lower part of the casing, however, must be provided with a carrying-board or its equivalent.

Suitable packing 32 is provided between the lower end of the shoe member 2 and the upper end of the shoe member 3, and similar packing 33 is provided between the shoe member 3 and the stationary parts of the device, with which the same contacts 4 It has heretofore been stated that the shoe members 2 and 3 are mounted for vibratory movement in the framework 1. In the specific form of machine illustrated this movement is imparted to said members by means of a transverse shaft 34, mounted in suitable hearings in the framework 1 and having the eccentrics 35 36 thereon. The eccentric 35 is connected, through the eccentric-strap 37 and the pitman 38, with the upper end of the member 3, and the eccentric 36 is similarly connected with the lower end of the member 2. During the rotation of the shaft 34, there fore, it will be seen that a vibratory movement of both shoe members 2 and 3 is effected in the direction of thelength of the machine. The major axes of the eccentrics 35 and 36, however, are located upon opposite sides of the shaft 34, so that during the rotation of said shaft 34 the shoe members 2 and 3 will be operated in different directions at the same timethat is to say, during the movement of the shoe member 3 to the rear the shoe member 2 will be moved towa d the front, and vice versa. This construction and arrangement are provided for the purpose of preventing the shaking or vibration of the machine as a whole. The members 2 and 3 serve during the operation of the machine to counterbalance each other. Of course if the members 2 and 3 are secured to or formed integral with each other, or rather if the Vibrating casing is made in one part, but one of the eccentrics 35 36 will be needed on the shaft 34 and but one set of connections will be needed between the same and the casing. All parts of said casing will then be actuated together.

I have shown secured to the shaft 34 two rotary fans 39, mounted within fan-casings 40. One only of said fans maybe sufficient, however. or more than two may be found necessary. The casings 40 commu nicate through their opposite sides with the suction-chambers 41,whieh in turn communicate with the expansion or settling chamber 31 within the vibratory casing. The said suction-chambers are bolted or otherwise secured to a transversely extending plate 42, secured to the framework 1 and having openings 43 therein, as clearly shown. Through the openings 43 the air from the settling orexpansion chamber 31 is admitted into the suction-chambers 4i, and through the sides of said suction-chambers the air is admitted to the centers of the fancasings 40. The plate or frame 42 is provided around its outer edge with an inwardly-extending flange 44, and around said flange are located the ends 45 and 46 of the shoe members 2 and 3, respectively-that is to say, the ends 45 and 46 of the members 2 and 3 of the casing are provided with openings into which the flange 44 extends, so that during the vibration of the casing there can be no leakage between the front end thereof and the framework, in which the same is mounted. All the air within the settlingchamber 31 must necessarily pass into the suction-chambers 41 and thence into the fancasings 40. Secured to the plate 42, extending inwardly and upwardly from the lower end of said plate and projecting into the settling-chamber 31, are the deflectors 47, designed for the purpose of causing the air to enter the openings 43 from the upper part of the chamber 31. Said deflectors thereby serve to form in the lower part of the settlingchamber 3t a dead-air space for facilitating the precipitation of the dust contained in the air.

The discharge ends of the fan-casings 40 merge into or communicate with the Windtrunks 48, which in turn lead into or communicate with an air-conduit 49, extending entirely across the machine and formed in a stationary part thereof. The rear end of the conduit 49 communicates with the conduit 30 in the shoe member 3. The conduits30 and 13 also extend entirely across the machine. In each of the wind-trunks 48 is located a valve or damper 50, provided for the purpose of regulating the force of the current from the fans 39, so that all the light screenings may be removed from the grain which is subjected to the air-current without lifting and removing any of the light particles of the grain itself.

The operation of the machine constructed as above described is as follows: The grain being delivered into the feed chute or hopper 6 falls upon the inclined deflector 7 and by the latter is delivered in a thin fine stream upon the upper end of the coarse screen 8 in the shoemember 2. The shaft 34 is at this time in operation, and a vibratory movement is thus imparted to the shoe members 2 and 3. The fans 39 are also in operation. The screen 8 serves to remove the straw and other coarse particles of foreign matter from the grain, the same being discharged from the machine at thelower end of said screen. The grain itself passes through the screen 8 and falls down upon the carrying-board 10, whence it is delivered through the passage 14 into the conduit 13 and thence through the upper part of the conduit 30 down upon the screen 18; The deflecting-block 27 serves to prevent the passage of the grain down into the lower part of the conduit 30. While passing from the carrying-board 10 to the screen 18 down through the conduits 13 and 30 the grain is subjected to the action of a current of air from the fans 39, which passes therefrom through the wind-trunks 48 and the conduit 49 into the conduit 30 and thence through the conduit 13 into the settling or expansion chamber 31. The light fine particles of foreign matter within the grain are removed by this current or blast of air, and said blast of air also removes from the grain any dust which the same may contain. The dust and light foreign matter thus removed are carried by the air-current through the passage 15 into the settling or expansion chamber 31, the same being directed downwardly by the deflecting board or partition 16. The said dust is thus 4 caused to pass down into the dead-air space at facilitated. The said dust and other light for-- eign particles'pass from the machine through the conduit 22 without being discharged into the open atmosphere or into a separate dustcollector. The grain under treatment after falling upon the fine screen 18 has the sand, cockle, and other heavy finely-divided foreign v matter removed'therefrom and is discharged from the machine through the conduit 23. The substances which are separated from the grain by the screen 18 fall upon the carryingboard 17 and are discharged from the machine through the conduit 20.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that I provide in agrain-separator a plurality of vibrating separating-screens and carrying-boards having a settling-chamber of gradually-increasing size'located between 7 them and means for creating a continuous air-belt in the machine, which includes said settling-chamber, through'which air-belt the grain is caused to pass in flowing from one of said screens or carrying-boards to another. I am thereby enabled to thoroughly-separate all the heavy and light foreign matter from the grain without the necessity. of discharging the dust-containing air into the open atmosphere or into a separate dust-collector. I

The apparatus constructed as shown and described has been demonstrated in practice to be capable of producing results superior to any of the grain-separators now in use with which I am familiar. The ordinary apparatus is provided with a suction fan or fans which discharge into the open atmosphere or into a separate dust-collector, the latter being often a more expensive machine thanthe grain-separator itself. By my invention I avoid the escape of the dust into the air, as well as the expense attendant upon the use of a separate dust-collector. At the same time I secure equally-satisfactory results to those which are ordinarily obtained from the use of two separate machines. The screen separations made in my machineare practically the same as those made in the separators in common use; but the air separation is superior by reason of the fact that it *is made by a continuous air-belt after the rough material has been removed by thescreens. By the application of this air-belt principle to a grain-separator employing screens, as shown, the air separations can be regulated accurately. The friction or resistance to the air in passing through the conduits is always the same, whereas with the separators in common use it is difficult to regulate the air separation on account of the back pressure caused by the dust-collecting machine into which the dust-laden air is introduced.

My invention has been described in its preferred form; but it is obvious that many changes may be made in its detail construc tion without departing from the nature or spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages. I do not limit myself, therefore, to any of the details shown and described, ex,- cept as defined in the appended claims. For example,the form and location of the settlingchamber 31 may obviously be varied.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isc '1 1. In a grain-separator, a vibratory casing having screens mounted therein, a settlingchamber between the screens, blast mechan ism communicating with the opposite sides of the settling-chamber for creating a continu ous air-belt through the machine, and means for causing the flow of the grain through or across said air-belt, outside of the chamber, in its passage from the screens.

2. In a grain-separator, a vibratory casing having screens mounted therein, a settlingchamber located between the screens, blast mechanism communicating with the opposite sides of the settling-chamber for creating a continuous air-belt through the machine and including the chamber, and means for causing the flow of the grain through or across the airbelt, outside of the chamber, in its passage from the upper to the lower part of the casin 3. In a grain-separator, a vibratory casing having screens and carrying-boards mounted therein, a settling-chamber between the earrying-boards, blast mechanism communicating with the opposite sides of the settlingchamber for creating a continuous air-belt through the machine, and means for causing the flow of the grain from one of said screens through or across the air-belt, outside of the chamber, in its passage from the upper to the lower part of the casing.

4. In a grain-separator, a casing having screens mounted therein and composed of a plurality of vibratory shoe members, a settling chamber between the screens, blast mechanism communicating with the opposite sides of the settling-chamber for creating a continuous air-belt through the machine, and means for causing the flow of the grain through or across said air-belt, outside of the chamber, in its passage from the upper to the lower shoe member.

5. In a grain-separator, a casing having screens and carrying-boards mounted therein, and composed of a plurality of shoe members, means for vibrating said members simultaneously in opposite directions, a settlingchamber between the carrying-boards, blast mechanism communicating with the opposite sides of the settling-chamber for creating a continuous air-belt through the machine, and means for causing the flow of the grain from one of the screens through or across the airbelt, outside of the chamber, in its passage from the upper to the lower shoe member.

6. In a grain-separator, a casing comprising a plurality of screen-carrying vibratory shoe members, a settlingchamber between the screens, blast mechanism communicating with the opposite sides of the settling-chamber for creating a continuous air-belt in the machine, and means for causing the flow of the grain through or across the air-belt in its passage between the shoe members.

7. A grain-separator comprising a plurality of screen -carrying vibratory shoes, having their sides closed and their adjacent ends open and communicating, a settling'chamber between the screens increasing in cross-sectional area from one end to the other, a fan having its suction and discharge members communicating with ducts in the machine, and with the settling-chamber, and means to feed the grain through or across the air-belt produced by the fan.

8. In a grain-separator, a vibratory casing, screens and carrying-boards arranged in its upper andlower parts, a settling-chamberhetween the screens or carrying-boards, blast mechanism communicating with the opposite sides of the settling-chamber for creating a continuous airbelt through the machine, which belt includes the chamber, and means for causing the flow of the grain through or across the air-belt, outside of the chamber, in its passage from the upper to the lower part of the casing.

9. In a grain-separator,two vibratory shoes, screens and carrying-boards mounted therein, an expansion or settling chamber between the screens or carrying-boards, blast mechanism communicating with the opposite sides of the settling-chamber for creating a continuous air-belt through the machine, which belt includes the chamber, and means for causing the flow of the grain through or across the airbelt, outside of the chamber, in its passage between the shoes.

10. In agrain-separator,a plurality of shoes having separating-screens therein, a settlingchamber between the screens, draft-inducing mechanism communicating with the opposite sides of the chamber, and eccentrics on the shaft of the draft-inducing means and connected with the shoes, the active portion of the eccentrics being located on opposite sides of the center of the shaft.

11. A grain-separator having a vibrating or shaking casing with screens, and carryingboards mounted in its upper and lower part so as to form a sett1ing-chamber between them, and a fan having its inlet connected with one side of the settling-chamber, and its outlet connected with the opposite side of the same chamber, and means for passing the grain through the air-belt thus created, as shown.

12. A grain-separator comprising a divided casing the upper and lower part being suspended independently, and eccentrics for vibrating the two halves in opposite directions, screens and carrying-boards mounted in the upper and lower half, and inclined or pitched in opposite directions forming a settlingchamber between them, and a fan with its inlet connected with one side of said chamber, and its outlet communicating with the opposite side of the same chamber, so as to create a continuous air-belt, and means for passing the wheat through or across the airbelt, whereby all matter of lighter specific gravity than Wheat, is removed therefrom and deposited in the expansion-chamber.

13. In a grain-separator, a settling-chamber formed by a vibrating shoe, and screens and carrying-boards mounted therein, in combination with a fan having its inlet and from one set of screens or carrying-boards to another.

14. A grain-separator with a shaking casing in which is mounted a series of screens and carrying-boards, in combination with a fan having its outlet constructed so as to deliver a current or blast of air through the wheat as it falls from one screen or carryingboard to another, a settling-chamber between the screens and carrying-boards into which said current of air passes and deposits the material lifted out of the wheat, and means for establishing communication between. said settling-chamber andinlet of the fan,whereby a continuous air-belt is created.

15. A grain-separator comprising suspend? ed shoes in which are mounted screens and carrying-boards, an eccentric shaft for vibrating said shoes and screens, fans mounted on said shaft and having inlets and outlets communicating respectively, with the feed and discharge sides of a settling-chamber to ore-- ate a continuous air-belt, and means for passing the grain through or across the air-belt to remove from the wheat all of the material of lighter specific gravity, and deposit same in the settling-chamber.

16. In a grain-separator, acasing comprisin g two vibratory members located one above the other, a settling-chamber between the members, screens and carrying-boards on said 1 shoe members, a fan whose inlet communicates with one side of said settling-chamber and whose outlet communicates with the other side thereof, for creating a continuous airbeltthrough the machine, and means for causing thefiow of the grain through or across said air-belt in its passage between said shoe members, as'and for the purpose set forth.

17. In a grain-separator, a casing comprising two vibratory members located one above the other and having a settling-chamber between them, screens and carrying-boards on said shoe members, a fan whose inlet communicates with one side of said chamber, an airconduit leading from the outlet of said fan and also communicating with the said chamber, whereby a continuous air-belt may be formed in the machine, and means for causing the fiow of the grain through said conduit in its passage between said shoe members, as and for the purpose set forth.

18. In a grain-separator, a casing comprisin g two vibratory members located one above the other and communicating with each other along their adjacent ends, to form a settlingchamber between them, the upper member being provided with an inclined separatingscreen, an inclined carrying-board beneath the same and a conduit outside of, but communicating with, said chamber, leading from the discharge end of the screen, and the lower member being provided with an inclined separating-screen ,carryingboards located res pectively above and below said screen, and ac'onduit outside said chamber, having an offset therein, and communicating with the conduit inv the upper member, and a fan whose vinlet communicates with the side of said chamber opposite the conduits in said shoe members and whose outlet communicates with the conduit in the lower member, as and for the purpose set forth.

19. In a grain-separator, a casing comprising two vibratory members located one above the other and communicating with each other along their adjacent ends, to form a settlingchamber between them, the upper member being provided with an inclined separatingscreen, an inclined carrying-board beneath the same and a conduit outside of, but communicating with,said chamber, leading from the discharge end of said screen, and the lower member being provided with an inclined separating-screen, carrying-boards located respectively above and below said screen, and a conduit outside said chamber having an offset therein and communicating with the conduit in the upper member,afan whose inlet communicates with the side of said casing opposite the conduits in said shoe members, and a fixed conduit leading from the discharge or outlet of said fan to the conduit in the lower member, as and for the purpose set forth.

20. In a grain-separator, a casing comprising two vibratoryzmembers located one above the other and communicating with each other along their adjacent ends, to form a settlingchamber between them, the upper member being provided with an inclined separating screen and an inclined carrying-board beneath said screen, and the lower member being provided with an inclined separatingscrecn and a carrying-board above the latter screen, a conduit between the screens on said shoe members, located outside said chamber, but communicating therewith, and a fan whose inlet communicates with the side of said chamber opposite said conduit and whose screen and a carrying-board above the latter screen, a conduit between the screens on said shoe members, located outside said chamber, but communicating therewith, and a fan Whose inlet communicates with the side of said chamber opposite said conduit, and whose outlet communicates with said conduit, the carrying-boards on the upper and lower members of said shoe forming the top and bottom walls of said chamber and diverg in; from each other toward said fan, as and for the purpose set forth.

22. In a grain-separator, a casing comprising two vibratory members located one above the other and communicating with each other along their adjacent ends, to form a settlingchamber between them, the upper member being provided with an inclined separatingscreen, an inclined carrying-board beneath the same, a conduit outside of, but communicating with, said chamber, leading from the discharge end of said screen, and a deflecting partition adjacent to said conduit for directing the course of the air from said conduit downwardly within said chamber, and the lower member being provided with an inclined separating-screen, a carrying-board above said screen and a conduit outside said chamber, the said conduit having an offset therein and communicating with the conduit in the upper shoe member, and a fan Whose inlet communicates with the side of said chamber opposite the conduits in said shoe members and whose outlet communicates with the conduit in thelower member, as and for the purpose set forth.

23. In a grain-separator, a casing com prising two vibratory members located one above the other and com mu nicating with each other along their adjacent ends, to form a settlingchamber between them, the upper member being provided with an inclined separatingscreen, an inclined carrying-board beneath the same, a conduit outside of, but communicating with, said chamber, leading from the discharge end of said screen, and a deflecting-partition adjacent to said conduit for directing the course of the air from said conduit downwardly within said chamber, and the lower member being provided with an inclined separating-screen, a carrying-board above said screen and a conduit outside said chamber, having an'olfset therein and communicating with the conduit in the upper shoe, a fan whose inlet communicates with the side of said chamber opposite the conduits in said shoe members, and Whose outlet communicates with the conduit in the lower member, and an inclined deflector within said chamber opposite the entrance to said fan, as and for the purpose set forth.

24. In a grain-separator, a casing compris ing two vibratory members located one above the other and communicating with each other along their adjacent ends, to form a settlingchamber between them, the upper member being provided with an inclined separatingscreen, an inclined carrying-board beneath the same, a conduit outside of, but com municating with said chamber, leading from the discharge end of said screen, and a deflectingpartit-ion adjacent to said conduit for directing the course of the air from said conduit downwardly within said chamber, and the lower member being provided with an inclined separating-screen, a carrying-board above said screen and a conduit outside said chamber, having an offset therein and communicating with the conduit in the upper shoe member, a rotary shaft having eccentrics thereon operatively connected with said shoe members for vibrating them, a plurality of fan-casings through which said shaft 02(- tends, fans secured to said shaft and located within said casings, suction-chambers communicating at their inner ends with said settling-chamber and at their sides with the centers of said fan-casings, wind-trunks leading from the discharge ends of said fan-casings, and a conduit extending across the machine for establishing communication between said wind-trunks and the conduit in the lower shoe member, as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN E. MITCHELL. Witnesses:

MARK MAITLAND, A. P. VVEINGARTNER. 

